Agricultural implement



May 23, 1944. w! s R M 2,349,343

AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT Filed March 3, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor William-5. Graham J35 My y 23, 1944- w. s. GRAHAM AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT Filed March 3, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 M mb m M 3 3 y 1944. w. s. GRAHAM AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT:

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 3, 1941 Milli a l 80 U612 for ll/z'llmm 6. Graham Patented May 23, 1944 AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT William 8. Graham, Canton, 111., asoiznor to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application March 3, 1941, Serial No. 381,475

8 Claims.

This invention relates to agricultural implements, and more particularly to ground-workin implements of a type adapted to be directly connected to a tractor.

With a narrow tread, one row, cultivator type of tractor capable of pulling only one groundworking tool or furrower, usually centrally located on the tractor in rear of the rear wheels and adaptedto form a single furrow, difllculty has been experienced in doing a satisfactory furrowing job because the wheels on one side of the tractor running upon the loose dirt thrown up from the previous furrow causes the tractor to tip, aflects traction, and makes steering difilcult. The cotton or corn stalks when thrown up by these single furrowers" are of considerable length and thus not apt to be thoroughly covered by the fur-rowed dirt.

Also, implement attachments of this type include a working tool or furrower adapted to have movement to and from working position wherein the ground-working tool in its working position is either gauged in that position by means on the tractor or by means associated directly with the working tool for the purpose of gauging the working tool from the ground as the tool passes over the same. If the working tool is connected so as to be gauged directly from the body portion of the tractor, fluctuations of this body portion relative to its forward pivotally connected axle structure will be transmitted to the working tool. As the tractor passes over the ground it has a tendency to sway from one side to the other and to pivot with respect to the forward axle structure. If gauge means is connected directly to the working tool, the same necessarily has to be located near the working tool in order to be effective, and this gauge means would be located in a position immediately ahead of the working tool, but because of lack of space an adequate size gauge wheel could not be provided. Also, there is the disadvantage that slight irregularities will readily be imparted to the workin: tool since this gauge wheel is only supporting the weight of the working tool and will not depress lumps of dirt and stone so readily.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a new arrangement which is particularly adapted for use with this narrow tread type of tractor. whereby the tractor will always be maintained level during a furrowing operation and the wheels will not be caused to run on loose dirt, which so readily affects the steering and traction of the tractor.

wide a furrowing arrangement wherein the cotton or corn stalks will be broken into smaller pieces or portions and thus be more easily covered by the furrowed dirt, and whereinthe dirt which is thrown up into beds or ridges will be better pulverized.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel means for the gauging of ground-working tools or furrowers wherein movement of the supporting body structure with respect to the forward axle structure will not be imparted to, the working tool and wherein slight fluctuations which occur when the working tool is gauged from an individual gauge Wheel will not be present. s

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an adjustable gauging arrangement adapted to connect the working tool with the forward axle structure of the tractor whereby the working depth can be regulated from and be governed by the pivotal forward axle structure having large steerable wheels.

with th arrangement of the present invention, two furrowers are used, each doing half the work of the single furrow, it being keptin mind that with the average ground conditions the tractor is not sufficiently powered to pull two furrowers .doing full work. The arrangement makes two trips across the field at difierent depths and the furrow is complete after the second furrowing operation, which takes place in the furrow formed by the first furrowing operation. The furrowers are located immediately ahead of the rear traction drive wheels of the narrow tread type of tractor where these wheels are spaced about the width of the average crop row, either on beds or in furrows. .These drive wheels thus run in the furrows and not on any loose dirt thrown up from a previously formed furrow, and thus they have better traction. By causing the furrowers to pass over the field twice, the corn stalks are thus cut into smaller pieces, one piece being taken during the first operation while the final piece of the corn stalk is uprooted from the around during the second furrowing operation.

Also, there has been provided a connection means adapted to extend from the working tool to the pivotable forward axle structure whereby the location of the working tool in its working position will be governed from the pivotal forward axle structure. This connection means includes an adjustable means whereby the working depth of the working tool can be predeter- It is another object of the invention to pro- 5 mined. This adjustable means takes the form of an adjustable stop carried by a vertically extending threaded rod which extends through a bracket on the forward axle structure;

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. in

which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a tractor having the implement attachment embodying the present invention directly connected thereto;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the tractor shown in Figure 1 and of the implement attachment embodyins the present invention connected to thesame;

Figure 3 is an illustration of the ground after the working tools have passed through for the first operation;

1"igure4isaviewsimilartoFlgure3, showing the ridges and furrows completely formed and after the working tools have passed over it for the second and final operation;

asses-is i tending portions a' to whichare pivotally connected upper and lower parallel links 21 and II.

The upper link 21 is connected to the vertically extending portion it by means of a transversev ly extending'eye-bolt 21a. The upper end of the link passes through the eye-bolt and is retained therein B adjusting nuts :1. There is located on each side of the tractor a pair of such parallel links. To the rearward ends of these parallel links is connected a tool bar I! of square crosssection, the connection being made by means of bracket structures It rigidly carried on the tool bar 20. This tool bar extends beneath the tractor and projects to locations removed from the sides of the tractor. On the outer ends of this. tool bar I! is respectively connected a tool beam 3| by means of clamping elements II. On the lower end of each tool beam II is connected a ground-working tool or furrower 33. The working tool 33 can be more readily identified as a sweep normally used for plowing oil. from the tops of previously prepared ridges. By

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view in elevation of the forward end of the tractor and illustrating the pivotal connection of the forward axle structure thereto; and,

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view taken along the line 8-8 of Figure 5 and showing in section the trunnion connection of the axle structure to the body portion of the tractor.

Referring now particularly to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a tractor having a longitudinally extending main body frame or portion It, a rear axle structure ll having rear traction or drive wheels Ila, and a forward axle structure I! pivotally connected to the longitudinal body portion Ill. The forward axle structure l2 extends beyond the sides of the main body or frame portion is of the tractor and has connected thereto, by means of vertical spindles It, a pair of steerable wheels ll adapted to be operated by steering mechanism l5 including a steering wheel l6 located near to an operator's station ll on the rear axle-structure ll of the tractor.

Referring now particularly to Figure 5, there is shown as forming a part of the body portion ill a bolster structure It having a depending bracket structure It in which is pivoted a trunnion 20 extending longitudinally of the tractor and retained therein by means of a bolt ii. The trunnion 20 forms a part of the axle structure l2 and as the tractor traverses unlevel ground it should be apparent that this axle structure may at times assume a position indicated at 22 in dotted lines in Figure 5 which is at an angle with respect to the bolster structure l8 and with the remaining part of the tractor. Because of this pivot connection of the axle structure it will be apparent that the remaining part of the tractor pivots with respect to the forward axle structure thereby leaving the axle structure and wheels H to follow the natural contour of the ground.

Associated with the bolster structure It is a bracket structure 28 adapted for the connection to the tractor of an implement attachment. This bracket structure has a laterally extending opening preferably square in cross-section for receiving attaching pieces 2! of an implement attachment means indicated generally at 25. These portions 24 are retained within the openizrg in the bracket structure by clamping screws The attaching pieces 24 include vertically exusing such tools here, it is possible to prepare two furrows with a tractor having only sufficient power to'normally pull a regular furrower bottom. These furrowers are spaced the same distance apart as the rear traction wheels which. is the width of the spacing between the old' ridges containing the corn or cotton stalks.

As the tractor with the sweeps ll furrow the ground for the first time, dirt will be thrown up as shown in Figure 3, the ground having originally had the contour indicated by the dotted line It. A portion of the cotton or corn stalks will be cut oil during this first furrowing operation. It will'be noted from Figure 3 that the furrows formed as a result of the first operation over the field do not have any great depth. To obtain depth of the furrows such as regularly obtained with regular single furrowers, the tractor traverses the field a second time whereupon the sweep bottoms will throw up the dirt and the remaining portions of the cotton or com stalks and new ridges of the height indicated in Figure 4 are formed. It will be noted that during each operation the traction wheels follow in the furrow. By always traveling in the furrow, the tractor will always remain level and have good traction. The forward steerable wheels are spaced slightly farther apart than the rear traction wheels Ila. This allows the wheels to clear the portion of the corn stalk above the ground so that the steering of the tractor during the first furrowing operation is not encumbered. The forward wheels are not spaced so far apart but what they can run in the furrow formed during the first operation. The sweeps 33 each have a pair of moldboards 3!. If it is desired to level the sweep bottoms I! this is accomplished by adjusting adjusting nuts 31 on the upper link 21 at the point of its connection with the vertically extending plate structure 26'. v

When it is desired to raise the working tools to the transport position, a hand lever 38 is drawn over a quadrant It. The lever 38 is located near the operator's station I! and is connected to a rockable structure ll by means of a link ll. The rockable structure ll is connected intermediate the ends of the tractor by means of a bracket structure 42 in which the rockable structure is journaled. The rockable structure ll has a pair of lifting arms a and 40b extending forwardly and located respectively at each side of the tractor for connection to a liftin: collar 43 through which extends a lifting rod 44. As the rockable structure is rotated in a counterclockwise direction the lifting collar I. will engage with a stop collar 45 on the liftin rod N and upon continued movement thereof, the transverse bar 29 and the working tools1i will be lifted out of their ground-working or furrowing positions. The lift rods 44 are connected respectively to the bracket structures II on the tool bar 29. In the ground-working or iurrowing position the working tools 33 are free to float up and down but due to their weight and their suction into the ground they will not come out of the ground to any great extent.

There is connected to the tool bar 2! at 46 a forwardly extending member 41. This member 41 is rigidly clamped to the tool bar at 46 by clamping means 48. On the forward axle structure. is rigidly connected a bracket structure 49 having a rearwardly extending portion Ill with an opening 5| thcretlirough. Through this opening BI is projected a vertically extending threaded rod 52 connected at its lower end to the forwardly extending member 41. On the upper end of this rod 52 is threadedly connected an adjustable stop element 53 which may take the form of a winged nut having a wing or handle portion 54. When the working tools or furrowers 33 and the transverse bar 25 are located in their furrowing positions, the same will be supported entirely from the bracket structure SI and consequently from the forward axle structure it. It should thus be apparent that the working tools 33 will not be aifected by any lateral sway of the tractor body portion l0 but will be directly gauged from the forward axle structure i2 and from the large wheels I thereon. In other words, the wheels ll of the pivotal forward axle structure l2 will serve as gauge wheels for the working tools during the working operation and additional gauge wheels for attachment to the individual tools are not necessary.

When it is desired to vary the working depth of the tillage tools, the wing nut 63 may be adjusted so as to permit the working tools to have a greater or less working depth. In cases where the soil is loose and easy to handle the tools could be adjusted to a greater depth and the one furrowing operation might sufllce. It will now be apparent that by means of the forwardly extending member 41, the link 52, and the bracket are as ing means for connecting the working tool to the axle structure for gaugin the working depth thereof, whereby the working depth of the work ing tool will be governed by the pivotable forward axle structure, and means associated with said forward axle structure for adiustably setting the working tool with respect to the axle structure for various depths.

2. In combination, a tractor having a rear axle structure and a transversely pivotable forward axle structure, a transversely extending tool-carrying bar located beneath the tractor and extending beyond the sides thereof, means for connecting the tool-carrying bar to the tractor for ,vertical movement, working tools fixed to the tool-carrying bar to be located intermediate the rear axle and forward axle structure and at the respective sides of the tractor, and means separate from the tool-carrying bar connecting means for connecting the tool-car rying bar with the forward axle structure for gam ng the vertical position of the working tool during its working operation.

3. In combination, atractor having rear traction wheels spaced apart the distance of a crop row, and a forward wheel axle structure vertically pivotable with respect to the rear trac-- tion wheels, ground furrowers located respectively in front of the traction wheels and extending transversely of the tractor, means for connecting the furrowers to the tractor for vertical movement with respect thereto, means separate from the furrower connecting means for connecting the furrowers to the forward wheel axle structure to be gauged by the same when in their furrowing position, said separate connecting means including means for adjusting the furrowers with respect to the forward wheel axle structure for different furrowing depths.

. 4. In combination, a main frame, an axle structure pivotally connected to the main frame for movement in a transverse plane, wheel means associated with the axle structure, an implement structure connected to the main frame and including a working tool spaced from said axle structure, means for connecting the working tool to the main frame for free vertical movement bodily in its working position, and means separate from the connecting means of the working structure 9. t e e has ee provided an improved tool with the main frame for connecting the connection means between the working tool and the forward axle structure, and that by virtue of the threaded portions of the link 52 and the winged nut 53 there has been provided means for adjusting the working depth of the working 55 tools.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction of the present invention, it

should be apparent that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present ingo vention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is: 1. In combination, a tractor having a longitudinally extending body portion and a forward axle structure pivotable in a transverse plane 05 with respect to the body portion, wheel means associated with the axle structure, a groundworking implement structure connected to the body portion of the tractor and including a transversely extending ground-working tool 7 located rearwardly of the forward axle structure, means for connecting the ground-working tool to the tractor body portion for vertical movement with respect thereto in its ground-working posiworking tool to the axle structure at a location removed from the latter's pivotable connection with the main frame for gauging the position of the working tool by the axle structure.

5. In combination, a tractor having a longitudinally extending body portion and a forward axle structure laterally pivotable in a transverse plane with respect to the body portion and extending laterally from the sides thereof, an implement structure spaced from said axle structure and connected to the body portion or the tractor and including a working tool, means for connectingthe working tool to the body portion for free vertical movement bodily in its working position, and means separate from the workingtool connecting means for connecting the working tool with the forward axle structure for gauging the position of the working tool by the forward axle structure.

6. In combination, a tractor having a longitudinally extending body portion and a forward axle structure pivotable in a transverse plane with respect to the body portion, wheel means associated with the axle structure, a groundtion, and means separate from the tool-conuectworking implement structure connected to the body portion of the tractor and including a transversely extending ground-working tool located rearwardly of the forward axle structure and spaced therefrom, means for connecting the ground-working tools to the tractor body portion for free vertical movement bodily in its ground-working position, and means separate from the tool-connecting means for connecting the working tool to the axle structure for gauging the working depth, whereby the working depth of the working tool will be governed by the pivotable forward axle structure.

7. In combination, a tractor having a main body portion and an axle structure pivotally connected to the main body portion for movement in a transverse plane, a transversely extending tool-carrying bar, means for connecting the tool carrying bar to the tractor main'body for free vertical movement bodily with respect thereto, a

working tool fixed to the tool-carrying bar, and go means separate from the tool-carrying bar connecting means for connecting the tool-carrying bar to the axle structure for gauging the vertical position of the working tool during its working operation.

8. In combination, a tractor having rear traction wheels spaced apart the distance of a crop row, and a forward wheel axle structure vertically pivotable with respect to the rear traction wheels, ground furrowers located respectively in front of the traction wheels and extending transversely of the tractor, means for connecting the furrowers to the tractor for free vertical movement bodily with respect thereto, and means separate from the furrower connecting means for connecting the furrowers to the forward wheel axle structure for gauging the same when in their furrowing position.

WIILIAM 8. GRAHAM. 

